Do you know your neighbours?

DoozerT6 · 14-10-2013 07:37PM #1

I have lived in my apartment for several years and I can safely say I would barely recognise any of my neighbours if we passed in the street. I simply don't see them in the corridors of our block. At this stage, I'd literally have to knock on their doors and introduce myself to get to know them and let's face it, that's a bit weird after so many years

I'm a rural girl at heart, and I still I miss wandering around the local shops and not being able to greet ONE person by name

So do many AH'ers know their neighbours? If you don't, are you bothered about it?

Lad Of Banter · 14-10-2013 07:40PM

I'd like to but don't

Live on a terrace of houses

They're quiet, i'm quiet, so no complaints but i would like to know them tbh.

I know the local shop keeper and off licence proprieter very well, though

Holsten · 14-10-2013 07:40PM

Nope, don't care either.

SV · 14-10-2013 07:40PM

Know all of my neighbours, the two right beside me are sound. Others across the road are gobshítes of the highest order.

krudler · 14-10-2013 07:46PM

Nope, have two families living either side of me, couldn't tell you any of their names, knew my last neighbour a bit she was sound enough always said hi

truebluesac · 14-10-2013 07:47PM

I live in a house . I know all my neighbours . We all moved in around the same time , one of my now best mates moved in on on side (i introd him to his wife . Still appoligiseing for that ) It was easy cause we all moved in and were in the same boat .

If youv moved into an exsisting block it can be harder , as they are established friendship circles

If ya really feel lonely or looking for more of a community if your renting try moveing but then you run the risk of hateing your neighbours

The fact is your neighbours are your neighbours , your friend wherever they live are your true friends , sometimes you can be lucky and your neighbours may become your friends

Lyaiera · 14-10-2013 07:47PM

I know the guy living in the bedroom next to me.

And this thread reminds me. I have to go buy chocolates for the people in the café I went to in my old job. They were lovely, I was in there every day and I just disappeared. They must be worried sick about me.

Stheno · 14-10-2013 07:49PM

Nope don't know either of the neighbours, we live on a road as opposed to an estate so rarely even seen them

Hownowcow · 14-10-2013 07:50PM

One of my neighbours has become one of my best friends. I'd trust her with my life. We're both from old school neighbourhoods where that sort of thing wouldn't be uncommon.

Others are decent people and I'll chat and pass the time of day with them. Quite a few in the neighbourhood I'm on nodding terms with. I'm known in a couple of the local shops but then I do try and support them ahead of the well known convenience stores.

That said, I seriously avoid a number of the other people in the neighbourhood.

Peregrine · 14-10-2013 07:54PM

Nope.

Been living here for almost 7 years, I've had around 5 next door neighbours during that period and I barely knew any of them.

I don't think I can be bothered to meet the next ones either..

knick_knack · 14-10-2013 07:56PM

Nope, live in an apartment and no clue. Suits me fine, would make more of an effort if we lived in a house

DoozerT6 · 14-10-2013 07:57PM

I know we aren't OBLIGED to know our neighbours, but surely sheer proximity in today's built-up society means that it's at least highly probable that we WOULD know them, if only by name - they may only be living 20 feet away from your own front door!

I almost find it embarrassing to tell people that I have lived here for this length of time and don't even know one neighbour by name, or even recognise them. I know it happens (it happened to me!!) but it also means there is nobody nearby to have a spare key to my apartment, or keep an eye on the place if I'm away,...I guess I just think it's a bit sad.

Artful_Badger · 14-10-2013 08:00PM

Have a party OP and invite all the neighbors. Best way to get to know them all.

truebluesac · 14-10-2013 08:00PM

Apart from my neibours i dont know many in my surrounding area of dub 15 , my good mate next door has now emigrated to duabi all the rest of my mates are spread out to the corners of dublin , it gets hard to motivate to go out with the effort of travling to city center etc ,,

canadianwoman · 14-10-2013 08:01PM

My neighbour is from Bosnia and he's on crack. The guy has issues. We steer clear as much as possible.

truebluesac · 14-10-2013 08:04PM

DoozerT6 wrote: »

I know we aren't OBLIGED to know our neighbours, but surely sheer proximity in today's built-up society means that it's at least highly probably that we WOULD know them, if only by name - they may only be living 20 feet away from your own front door!

I almost find it embarrassing to tell people that I have lived here for this length of time and don't even know one neighbour by name, or even recognise them. I know it happens (it happened to me!!) but it also means there is nobody nearby to have a spare key to my apartment, or keep an eye on the place if I'm away,...I guess I just think it's a bit sad.

Life has changed . Its not the same as it was when i grew up . I knew everyone one all the roads close and they knew use .suppose its the price of the celtic tiger sucess .

The only advice id give is if ya want friends close is to get out within your local . Get involved in a group and youll meet people that way

The Backwards Man · 14-10-2013 08:05PM

Yes, for fifteen miles in every direction.

Cork selfbuild · 14-10-2013 08:08PM

At the moment yes, where we are building, yes, but in any of my previous places I lived in, rented houses / apartments, not really... Just a nod when heading to the car...

Howard Juneau · 14-10-2013 08:11PM

canadianwoman wrote: »

My neighbour is from Bosnia and he's on crack. The guy has issues. We steer clear as much as possible.

Sounds like great ..craic!

canadianwoman · 14-10-2013 08:11PM

Howard Juneau wrote: »

Sounds like great ..craic!

It's not....trust me on this. :mad:

pragmatic1 · 14-10-2013 08:13PM

Nope. The possible cons by far outweigh the possible pros.

Jeju · 14-10-2013 08:21PM

Some of my neighbours 3 or 4 have social events like BBQs, ladies nights blokes nights etc. We dont involve ourselves with that as Im sure all they do is gossip about everyone around.
They make sure we hear about it as its usually announced when we are going into our house. Dont mind knowing my neighbours and giving a wave but Iv seen one just walk into anothers house unannounced as soon as they arrived home.
Two years ago they didnt know each other from adam!

wp_rathead · 14-10-2013 08:24PM

Met one of my next door neighbours at AH beers in Galway

Pumpkinseeds · 14-10-2013 08:34PM

Let me put it like this, we're in a terrace to the left we have 60 year old sh*t kickers who partied with a hillybilly ho down til 1.30am last Saturday morning. At 3.15am the pill popping pr*ck to the right of us arrived back with his pill popping pals til gone 7am. Felt like grounds for justifiable homicide. If they were on fire we wouldn't piddle on any of them:mad:

FurQyou · 14-10-2013 08:37PM

If people weren't such cnuts I might be tempted to get to know them.. and yes I mean basically everyone.

mikeym · 14-10-2013 08:39PM

Ask any folk living in the country who their neighbours are and they will tell you everything.

Femme_Fatale · 14-10-2013 08:48PM

It's an apartment/house complex so people don't stick around for long. The only neighbours I know are the family who have been here the longest. People are friendly though.

DoozerT6 wrote: »

I know we aren't OBLIGED to know our neighbours, but surely sheer proximity in today's built-up society means that it's at least highly probably that we WOULD know them, if only by name - they may only be living 20 feet away from your own front door!

I almost find it embarrassing to tell people that I have lived here for this length of time and don't even know one neighbour by name, or even recognise them. I know it happens (it happened to me!!) but it also means there is nobody nearby to have a spare key to my apartment, or keep an eye on the place if I'm away,...I guess I just think it's a bit sad.

Why wouldn't you try and get to the know them then?

Teyla Emmagan · 14-10-2013 09:11PM

Know everyone on the street.

DoozerT6 · 14-10-2013 09:12PM

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

It's an apartment/house complex so people don't stick around for long. The only neighbours I know are the family who have been here the longest. People are friendly though.

Why wouldn't you try and get to the know them then?

I guess there's no reason for me not to, but I haven't really had the opportunity in all this time! Like I said, I would literally have to go and knock on their doors and introduce myself, which let's be honest most of us would find a bit strange. I don't have kids either, so I don't even meet them from our kids playing together. Don't get me wrong, if I see a neighbour in the car park or whatever we greet each other, but that's about it. Everybody seems to be in the same boat.

It's really only started to bother me recently I guess.

Khannie · 14-10-2013 09:15PM

We're at the end of a street. We know (by name) 8 houses to the left on our side and all the ones on the opposite side (only 4 before a corner). So yeah. It's very nice. Instils a nice sense of community.

COYVB · 14-10-2013 09:18PM

know one of our neighbours by name, but only because he's got the same name as me and happened to be there when we were moving in, so we said hello. the guys on the other side i have no idea of their names, but we'd give a nod to each other if one of us was out the front and saw the other.

in our previous apartment we knew nobody and didn't go to any of the social events, purely because we'd no interest in it

Do you know your neighbours?

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